Still doing crunches? We hate to break it to you, but you're doing it all wrong. In order to sculpt flat abs, you'll need to get creative with your workouts and "shock" your muscles in challenging new ways. It's a little strategy we call "muscle confusion"—the notion that by constantly varying your workouts, your body won't be able to adapt to the workouts, allowing you to break through a fitness plateau. So out with the crunches, in with the Bosu. A great training device for activating and challenging the core, the Bosu Ball, which is essentially a dome-like, inflatable rubber ball attached to a flat platform, takes standard standard ab-training movements (like crunches, planks and mountain climbers) to the next level.
Not sure where to start? Follow our lead as Barry's Bootcamp Nashville trainer Megan Conner shows you the Bosu ropes, demonstrating four waistline-cinching moves that will help you shed stubborn tummy fat in no time.
1. Basic Crunches
Rest your lower back on the curved edge of the Bosu ball and extend your legs out in front, knees bent, toes pointed up. Keeping elbows out wide, lean back fully until shoulders just touch the Bosu, then sit back up while activating the core. That's one rep. Do 30 reps.
2. Crunches with Leg Extended
Same as the basic crunches, but this time extend one leg out straight in front, keeping the other knee bent. Do 15 reps, then switch legs.
3. Mountain Climbers
Great for cardio. Flip the Bosu ball upside-down so that the flat part is showing. Stand over the Bosu in a plank position, with your shoulders over your wrists. Tightly grasp the handgrips as you quickly bring alternate knees in towards your chest. Do mountain climbers for 60 seconds.
4. Bosu Plank Walk-Ups
Plant toes on top of the Bosu, legs hips-width distance. Carefully walk out into plank position, shoulders over wrists. One arm at a time, lower down onto your elbows and briefly hold elbow plank. Push yourself back up to start. That's one rep. Do 15 reps.
Megan Conner has been in the fitness business training and teaching for almost 15 years. From New York City to Nashville to LA, she has traveled the country helping people reach their goals and their fitness potential. Megan currently lives in Nashville where she teaches at Barry's Bootcamp and has recently opened Megan Conner Fitness, a personal training studio in 12 South. Read Megan's blog at http://inspireatrun.com/
This article originally appeared as on Spry Living